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The thinly-veiled accusation of widespread racism left a sour taste in the mouth of many MPs, who said she was willingly missing the point.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: “What Diane Abbott and the Labour Party need to appreciate is that those most vulnerable to the next wave of uncontrolled migration competing for the same scarce resources in overcrowded inner-city areas is not me, not her and not Jeremy Corbyn.”

He said Ms Abbott, who is today celebrating her 63rd birthday, had made which comments were “an insult to many former Labour voters.”

Ms Abbott, as well as dismissing millions of voters as racist, was criticised for ignoring the British public’s legitimate concerns about migration both before and after this summer’s EU referendum.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a tireless Brexit campaigner and Tory MP, said: “Essentially the Labour Party does not like its own voters and sneers at their fair-minded concerns over mass migration.”

One week before the referendum, an Ipsos MORI poll revealed one-in-three people identified immigration as the most important issue affecting how they would vote.

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Ms Abbott's comments were slammed as an "insult" to voters

However, despite this and other polls revealing very real fears among millions of people, Ms Abbott, the Labour Party and the EU continue to ignore the legitimacy of such concerns.

Even in the immediate aftermath of the result, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker claimed immigration hadn’t played a role in the historic vote.

He said: “Cameron was making the point that the referendum was mainly about migration and immigration.

“I don’t believe this is the case because this problem is a problem which concerns all of us.”

Jeremy Corbyn wins Labour leadership election

Jeremy Corbyn MP (R) hugs Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell after being announced as the leader of the Labour Party on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016Getty ImagesJeremy Corbyn celebrates his victory following the announcement of the winner in the Labour leadership contest between him and Owen Smith at the ACC Liverpool.PABritish opposition Labour party Leader Jeremy Corbyn (C) sits in the audience ahead of the Labour leadership announcement, during the Labour Party Leadership Conference in Liverpool on September 24, 2016AFP/Getty ImagesBritish opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks after being announced as the winner of the party's leadership contest at the Labour Party Leadership Conference in Liverpool on September 24, 2016AFP/Getty ImagesJeremy Corbyn MP (R) shakes hands with Owen Smith MP as they arrive to hear the result fpor the new the leader of the Labour Party, on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016Getty ImagesJeremy Corbyn MP waves to supporters after being announced as the leader of the Labour Party on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016Getty ImagesJeremy Corbyn MP waves to supporters after being announced as the leader of the Labour Party on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016Getty ImagesJeremy Corbyn MP waves to supporters after being announced as the leader of the Labour Party on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016Getty ImagesJeremy Corbyn MP (L) shakes hands with Owen Smith MP after being announced as the leader of the Labour Party on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016Getty ImagesThe leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, speaks after the announcement of his victory in the party's leadership election, in Liverpool, Britain September 24, 2016REUTERSThe leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, speaks after the announcement of his victory in the party's leadership election, in Liverpool, Britain September 24, 2016REUTERSLabour leadership candidate, Owen Smith (L), and party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, walk onto the stage before the announcement of the result of the Labour Party leadership election, in Liverpool, Britain September 24, 2016REUTERS

Jeremy Corbyn MP (R) hugs Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell after being announced as the leader of the Labour Party on the eve of the party's annual conference at the ACC on September 24, 2016

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Ms Abbott has since denied she was calling all Brexit voters racist.

She said: "I know many people I like and respect who voted for Brexit for reasons to do with sovereignty. What I mean is… is that ever since the Brexit vote we have seen a rise in racist attacks. Some very horrible attacks and not just on Eastern Europeans but on anybody who is black or brown.

"And this has given rise to fear and concern and we have to be aware of this and we have to say Brexit means a lot of things, but it doesn't mean giving permission to racially abuse other people."

Ms Abbott also insisted she did not want to see the Brexit vote reversed.

She added: "I feel strongly that we shouldn't be talking about reversing the Brexit vote that would be profoundly undemocratic.

"The point I'm making as shadow secretary of state for health, is that we have to be mindful in the negotiations that we shouldn't throw away access to the single market in return for an end to freedom of movement because actually [ending] freedom of movement would be very bad for health and social care."

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Ms Abbott said the 17 million people who voted Leave were racially motiviated

Ms Abbott also used the Labour conference to praise the National Health Service's migrant workers.

She drew on her own family's history to emphasise her committment to helping the service survive and improve in testing times.

She said: "The next time you hear commentators saying that immigrants are a drain on our public services, think of women like my mother.